Roasted Curried Butternut Squash Soup

The squash lover in me gets very excited every fall when the grocery stores bring them out before Halloween.  I was at Trader Joe's the other week and added a butternut squash to my shopping cart so I could try cooking it for myself.  Fortunately, it had a sticker on it with the exact cooking directions :)  Why didn't they do that sooner (especially for the random squashes that you don't know the name of if you've never seen them before)?

Here in SD the weather has been super random.  Last week we had RAIN for a few days and it was unusually chilly for October.  I know, I know, I shouldn't complain about rain...but it NEVER rains in October so it was really out of character (of course it only lasted a few days and now we are back to our regular warm sunshine).  It actually FELT like fall, haha.  For me, fall weather calls for soup, so butternut squash soup it was!  It was a bit time consuming and my patience was more than tested, but the end result was pure deliciousness.

Okay, let's get going.  Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  Make sure you have a very sharp knife to cut your squash in half lengthwise, because those suckers are hard to cut!  This is where my patience started to wear a little thin, but not before I placed them on a foil-lined baking sheet and scooped out the seeds and pulp.  Say a little prayer to the patience gods and keep going until you get this:

Next, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and freshly-cracked black pepper.

Turn those babies upside down on your baking sheet, and underneath each cavity place 2 cloves of unpeeled garlic and 2 sage leaves.  I did not have either one, so I used the equivalent of crushed garlic and some random seasonings.  No biggie.

Roast these puppies for 40-50 minutes until the flesh is tender and they look all wrinkly like they just came out of the tub.  Revel in the heavenly squash smell permeating throughout your kitchen :)

Here is where you must channel your inner patience mantra again.  Wait for the squash to cool before you peel it, because it is HOT.  I don't want you to burn your fingers.  Go turn on an episode of Glee or run around the block a few times while you wait.  I'll be right here when you get back.

Dum de dum dum.

How was your run? :)  Now, using a large spoon or vegetable peeler, scrape off the skin.  Enjoy the squash manicure you'll get from all the pieces stuck underneath your fingernails.  Come on, you're a real cook now - you can do this!

After you peel your squash, chop up 2 large onions and cook with some olive oil over low heat in your monster soup pot.

While you wait on the onions to turn opaque, chop up your squash into big chunks.  Save the garlic that was hiding underneath and cast it off to the side of your cutting board, 'cause you'll need it later.

Onions, are you done yet?

Okay.  Now add your squash, vegetable stock, seasonings, and salt.  Blend everything together, cover partially, and simmer 'em down for 20 minutes, stirring often.  Ya mon :)

Once everybody is nice and mellow, remove from the heat and blenderize the heck out of 'em with your awesome immersion blender.  Thanks Lindsay and Will! :)

Return to the heat, taste and adjust your seasonings as you wish.  Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with some crumbled goat cheese.  A perfect soup for a chilly fall evening!

On the side we enjoyed insalata caprese - layers of fresh basil, sliced tomato, and sliced fresh mozzarella drizzled with EVOO, balsamic vinegar, and freshly-cracked salt and pepper.  Super simple, easy, healthy, and fresh - all my favorite things :)

Recipe: Roasted Curried Butternut Squash Soup
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Bride & Groom Cookbook (not this edition, but I couldn't find the one we have on Amazon)

Ingredients:

• 1 butternut squash
• 3 tbsp. olive oil, divided
• Salt and pepper
• 4 fresh sage leaves, or your choice of dried herbs
• 4 small unpeeled cloves of garlic (I used the equivalent of crushed from the jar)
• 2 large onions, diced
• 4 cups vegetable stock or water
• 1/4 tsp. curry powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• crumbled Feta cheese

Directions:

• Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
• Cut the squash in half lengthwise.  Scrape out the seeds and pulp with a large spoon.  Coat the cut surfaces with 1 tbsp. olive oil.  Season generously with salt and pepper.
• Place the halves cut side down on a foil-lined baking sheet.  Slip 2 sage leaves (or spices) and 2 garlic cloves under each cavity.
• Roast the squash until the flesh is tender to the touch, 40-50 minutes.
• Let squash cool completely.  Peel off skin and discard.  Chop squash into large chunks and set aside.  Squeeze the roasted garlic from its skins and set aside.
• Heat remaining 2 tbsp. olive oil in a soup pot over low heat.  Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are translucent (about 15 minutes).
• Add the squash, garlic, vegetable stock, curry powder, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste.   Whisk until the soup is blended.  Cover partially and simmer, stirring often, for about 20 minutes.
• Remove from heat.  Using an immersion blender, process soup until it is very smooth.  Add more water or vegetable stock to thin to the desired consistency, if necessary.
• Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with crumbled Feta.  Enjoy!